For dashboards, doors, and elsewhere, the automotive industry demands resin panels having contrasting decorations in different regions. A typical panel for automotive purposes has a bright metal border and a contrasting region surfaced with a wood grain, printed pattern, simulated suede, or other decoration. Variations on this can include stripes, several contrasting decors, raised and lowered regions, recesses or ridges between regions, and other alternatives. My invention produces panels of this type, but is not limited to any particular decoration or end use.
Such panels have been made previously by molding resin to form the basic panel shape, undercoating the panel with a clear resin providing a smooth and receptive surface, vacuum metallizing this surface with a metallized layer, covering the metal layer with a clear resin top coat, and then adhering a contrasting applique over the top coat in another region of the panel. The adhesive is expensive; and the edges of the applique tend to work loose, marring the appearance.
My invention provides more efficient methods for decorating molded resin panels and also achieves a more attractive and durable result. It eliminates adhesive, protects the edges of decorated regions, and uses the top coat protecting the metallized layer to also protect the decorated surface.